Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-10-14

elate
Both brothers had fallen victims to Su-
cannes bright and rare beauty and noble
character, but they made no confidence of
their feelings to each other The brothers
even seemed to avoid each other: each sought
solitude and each thought his secret hidden
from all eyes. But Pierre had TO look after
the farm and command the laborers, SO that
be had small chance of meeting the object of
his dreams, willie Raymond would take his
gun for countenance and lnger about places
where he hoped She might pass.
In France no visits are permitted TO young
men at the house of any young lady, unless
after formal engagement of marriage, and
then only under such conditions as must be
very exaspera,ing to BOTH so neither Pierre
nor Raymond could 20 to see Suzanne at her
home. not even accompanied by their mother
The image of the two brothers had GER
tainly taken a little place in the existence Of
Suzanne in spite of herself, Before She knew
them her thoughts were bounded by her
home, her art and her father She knew
that she was pretty and that men admired
her, but she had always shrunli from any eX-
pressed admiration with q horror uufeigned.
Marriage was not for her. Two or three
times before this her hand had been asked of
| her father, but when he referred the question
( to her she refused 50 determineaiy that he
was fain TO decline, particularly, as She said:
/ II do not wish to leave You, nor ever love
/ anybody but you as long asI live"
/ lie thought TO himself: "S0me day She
| Will change her mind and shall 10 forgot
| ten. Let her belong to me, then, as long as
she is content
/ Bat now Suzanne let her horse walk along
the shady paths where tho rich branches
/ hung heavy with sparkling dewdrops, and she
/ whispered:
81 wonder if Shall SEQ him to dayp And
when she saw linn coming along, his gun
s"uug over his shoulder, she felt like flying
from the spot, hut he looked so anxious, so
| sad, and then when he saw her so glad, that
She did not go. Then they approached and
| said good morning, with very few and simple
words more and each went along their diff r.
ent paths both happier for the meeting.
Orc day Suzanne was seated in a mos.v
dell in one part Of their park with her port
folio and colors, trying to catch the sun
beams and make them shine through her
painted trees. but it was warm and the
drowsy sound Of the little brook at her feet
made her sleepy, and resting her head upon
moss covered root She fell asleep, nor woke
until she felt a sott sweet and chaste lis,
fall upon her forehead. With strange
prescience She knew whose - had pressed it
there, and She from pure maideuiy shame
and delcacy, managed to keep her eyes
closed that Le might suppose that She knew
nothing Then Raymond murnured:
ALAS, Suzanne, l love you so,' and be was
gone
Then She aroae her whole face covered
with one Burning blush. and her whole being
filled with Il woldrous sweet happiness and
for while, in this delicious awakening of a
pure naiden's love, she forgot Thcn sud
denly vision rose before her, aul Size whose
whole bcaUtilui face but a moii,nt before
was eloquent with love, grew pale and .gi.Nn
with horror
what have l done! Oh, my God, what
have | done / have let him love me; 1 love
him Tor one little minute forgot that love
and marriage are not for mel"
All that day she battled with her heart,
and poor child, when its own pain had dead
ened her other senses she thought she had
won.
She crept into the house and up to her
room unobserved, and when her father came
to see why she did not come down to dinner
that womans blessed boon in the way of ex-
cuse, Il headache, pleaded for her
The next day Nine DE Noirylc came to
see them just they had rsturned from a
pleading Raymond's cause in his demand for
the hawl Of Mile. Forney Raymond had
driven her over, but had not attempted to
enter the house; but as u. Forney stepped
forward to receive Nine. De Noirville, Ray
mond sprang to the side of Suzanne who re-
Ceived him with GOODNESS so marked that he
drew back in alarm. His eyes questioned her
in vain for the cause of this sudden change,
He thought:
''She must have awakened and resented
such liberty What shall do
"Oh, mademoseile pardon me, | impl0rc
''ln what have YOU offended that You ask
my pardon?" said she, more codly and
haughty, if possible, than before.
II thuught-l feared-that | vas unhappy
enough To have in some way vexel you.'
, You are mistaken said She bowling, and
leaving HIM speeches.
, Raymond managed to make Il sign to hi,
mother, begging her to say nothing to NJ
, Forney on the ubject so near his heart, and
their conversation was therefore ON ordinary
topics AMI they soon took their leave.
. 1t would he TOO much TO say that Suzanne
!, regretted her severity, but it is very sure that
|, her hcnrt ached heavily all the time, and she
lost color and spirit, so much rs to seri
ously disquet Der father, who feared that sh,
! was i'll, but she declared herself perfectly
, well.
"Wel, do you feel contcnt.d here' Woult
you like to go away, to Paris or any othel
place. You have only to say what you wish
you know, my child, to find me wiling
: 81 am perfectly happy here, father sh,
/ replied, and ike this quiet, peaceful exist
: once far better than | would gayer place
So say no more, pray YOU
/ The real reason that she did not wish t,
leave her present home for Paris was that sh'
a knew that Raymonds vacation ended very
soon, ana that he then would he near he
! there, following her at every turn, and herr
she would he free.
Summer passed all too swiftly, and autumn
= came with its gorgeous beauty Of cpipriu:
n and its wealth of harvest, AMI October haJ
; nearly gone Already the nights We're col,
: and iros Y, though the days were bright an,
l sunny, and Suzanne wandered about thei
l park and even into tho forest beyond, aS i
: she hunted her lost peace of mind Her youn.